Industrial Hemp: The Struggle for Greatness

There are 15 states in the US who have passed the bill to allow farmers to plant, grow, and harvest industrial hemp for research purposes. Two states, however, are ahead of the pack, and beginning to plant hemp on specific pilot plots this year. Colorado and Kentucky are two states that have actually started to grow industrial hemp as I type these words. This is a huge step for the country since hemp seed, oil, and fibers are useful in a plethora of different ways. Some way are even lifesaving.

“We are going to try and see if this works.” Jim Brammer, a local Colorado alfalfa farmer said. Mr. Brammer “If it comes in nice, then great. If not, then at least we tried something new,”

Some farmers are skeptical though. Even as hemp remains one of the easiest crops to grow, some farmers still have doubts as to whether they will be successful, yet, they will gladly give it the ole college try. “We are going to try and see if this works.” Jim Brammer, a local Colorado alfalfa farmer said. Mr. Brammer had recently acquired one of the state’s licenses to grow industrial hemp. He let activists try this industrial hemp experiment on one acre of land in exchange for a cut of the profit. Well, if there is a profit that is. Brammer still seems to be a bit skeptical about the situation, stating, “If it comes in nice, then great. If not, then at least we tried something new,” This shows that even the most pessimistic of farmers can’t keep from at least giving this crop a chance.

It’s great to see farmers starting these pilot programs, and it’s certainly refreshing to see industrial hemp get back its good name, but some government officials are still making it hard for these farmers to get the hemp seeds they need to begin growing. In recent hemp news we learned that the DEA is still cracking down on hemp seed shipments and are still discouraging the cultivation of this versatile crop. If you go online and do a quick search, you’ll find that hemp seeds are rather easy to buy, as well as a gaggle of other hemp products. With Colorado and Kentucky hemp farmers starting to legally grow and harvest industrial hemp we’ll find that these products will start to become even more available. And perhaps at an even cheaper price tag.

Industrial hemp has been around for thousands of years and was actually the first material used for paper. For centuries we have used hemp stalk, fibers, and seeds for all sorts of things from building materials to medicine. Industrial hemp could help save the world, and Colorado and Kentucky are on the front lines, handing out permits to local farmers to begin growing this once highly praised crop.